B|D Landscape Architects | Landscape Architecture | Urban Design | Space-Making

Riverside Court

New apartments, a riverside café and public realm enhancement. This constrained industrial brownfield site in Bath is sandwiched between the Upper Bristol Road to the north and the river Avon to the south. Sitting within a conservation area, world heritage setting, with sensitive ecology and an adjoining the Grade II listed Victoria bridge, this site presented a number of tricky planning challenges to unlock its potential.

Our collaborative approach led to an imaginative design solution that will serve as a catalyst for the future regeneration of the Northern river frontage.

Our design response took on board the councils’ vision to form an activity node by the river. Rather than just doing this by opening up the site, we focused on a more intelligently designed public realm solution. It engaged with the river frontage, formed better linkage to the Upper Bristol Road and also connected with the public realm of the Grade II listed Victoria bridge.

The designs enabled us to gain the council’s confidence and promote the client’s development goal for a higher density residential solution which was ultimately achieved via a delegated decision with the appointed case officer. Our focus on collaboration de-risked the planning outcome for the client while significantly raising the site’s gross development value.

Client: Watkin Jones Group
Architects: Nash Partnership
Landscape Budget: Confidential
Status: Completed in 2020